In 2014, ETS transitioned California public schools to statewide, online testing through the successful administration of the Smarter Balanced Field Test. In 2015, the program was used statewide for accountability and for instructional planning. The Smarter Balanced Assessment system is aligned to Common Core State Standards.

Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments. Computer-delivered tests in ELA and mathematics that are comprehensive end-of-year assessments. They were administered operationally for the first time in the spring of 2015 to students in grades 3–8 and 11.

Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments. Designed to support teaching and learning throughout the year by providing information that can be used to monitor student mastery of the skills measured by the summative assessments. These resources are available to grades K–12 teachers in ELA and Mathematics.

ETS develops and administers the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for ELA and Mathematics for students with significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to take part in general statewide assessments.

CAAs are administered one-on-one to students in grades 3–8 and 11 by a teacher familiar with the student. A range of online-delivered item types are used to assess the Core Content Connectors, which are standards developed by the National Center and State Collaborative that link to the Common Core State Standards. CAAs are administered to approximately 40,000 students and provide student test results upon approval of performance levels by the state.

The CAAs for Science, based on the California Next Generation Science Standards Core Content Connectors, are designed as a collection of embedded performance tasks.

CAST is a two-stage adaptive assessment that measures the full range and depth of the California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS). The sampling design of the assessment will provide the robust and broadly-based group-level feedback needed to support teaching and promote curriculum improvement, while at the same time ensuring that each student is measured fairly and comparably.

In 2015, ETS began work on ELPAC, California's next-generation English-language development assessments. The ELPAC program will consist of both an Annual Assessment and a linked Initial Assessment with the first operational administration in spring of 2018.

University Assessments

CSU Early Assessment Program (EAP)

The Early Assessment Program (EAP) is designed to help high school juniors and seniors in California identify and improve weak areas and polish skills in English and mathematics in preparation for college-level coursework before they take classes at CSU. Since 2004, ETS has partnered with CSU to manage the EAP program, which, since its inception, has helped millions of students prepare for a California State University education.